Lived Experiences of African-American Women

SAMPLE EXCERPT:

Nineteen participants from throughout the continental United States participated in this study. Many of the participants were recruited from national conferences that focused on suicidal behaviors, prevention, and intervention in persons of color. Others responded to an advertisement that was placed in a national newsletter for suicide survivors. The interviews were conducted during a 5-year period.

For data analysis, the standardized and exploratory format of interviews was used as the main basis for collecting all the necessary data required to attain the aims of the study. The researcher explained that the interview format was perhaps the most useful way as he was looking to get detailed and profound information.

Keeping in view that qualitative data is not gathered with a standardized method similar to that of quantitative, it was divided into categories so as to be analyzed. In this research the wide-ranging strategy that was utilized for data analysis is reliant on hypothetical propositions, which basically means that this study pursued the original propositions on which the (1) aims and objectives and (2) design of the study were founded upon. With the aim of successfully analyzing the gathered data, the survey results were first classified into identical themes. Thereafter, in the discussion chapter (chapter 4) the researcher attempted to explain the research questions and purposes which transformed the concentration of the research.

Thereafter, the data collected was arranged into different theoretical frameworks and assessed with regards to their consistency and similarity. During some stages of the data analysis, the researcher came across a number of concepts and theories, which had not been revealed by other researchers in their studies. These theories and concepts were thereafter described in great detail and the researcher also proposed a number of ways on how they could be associated with the other theories.

Link theoretical or conceptual frameworks used to support the articles.

The researcher points out that there is a paucity of research on suicide survivors and even fewer studies exist on African-American suicide survivors. He conceptualizes suicide survivors as individuals who have lost a family member to suicide. Furthermore, he illustrates that although suicide is a relatively rare event, particularly among African-Americans, the recent dramatic increase in suicide among African-American youth makes it critical to understand this phenomena.

Subsequently he signifies the phenomenon of suicide survivors by highlighting various facts. For instance, he highlights that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 1980 and 1995, rates for African-American youth aged 15 to 19 increased 128% compared to 19% for Whites. Furthermore, he argues that although there has been a recent decline in the suicide rates among African-American youth, suicide continues to be the third-leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-old African-Americans (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2004).

He conceptualizes that bereavement with regards to suicide and points out that it has many emotional complexities that may evoke such symptoms as anxiety, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbance, and depression. Lastly, he conceptualizes the awareness o suicide figures amongst African-Americans and points out that unfortunately, some African-Americans continue to deny that suicide is a problem within the Black community; this view is buttressed by the fact that suicide is a relatively rare behavior among all ethnic groups. Lastly, he linked grief and suicide strongly and argued that grief when associated with suicide differs from grief from other forms…